Vancouver, B.C. – The stage was set for a memorable UEFA Champions League Final on Saturday (6/6) when after months of play Italian giant Juventus and Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona, two historically dominant clubs, met to determine Europe’s prestigious 2014-15 championship. At day’s end, it was Barcelona, led by goals from Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez and Neymar, with the 3-1 victory, earning its third title this season and fifth UEFA Champions League trophy. And in America, fans watched in English and Spanish.

FOX broadcast network provided the match’s English-language coverage and posted a 1.3 household rating with 2.2 million viewers according to Nielsen, which ranks as the second highest-rated and second most-watched UEFA Champions League Final ever, trailing only the 2011 edition which featured Barcelona and Manchester United (1.4, 2.6 million).

FOX Deportes’ Spanish-language coverage delivered 1.452 million viewers, and like FOX, the match was the second most-watched in the network’s history behind the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final (1.571 million).

The UEFA Champions League Final was also the most social telecast of the day. According to Nielsen Social Guide, the match telecasts combined to generate 1.130 million total tweets, well ahead of next closest program, the 147th Belmont Stakes which saw American Pharoah win thoroughbred racing’s first Triple Crown since 1978 (503,000 total Tweets).

FOX/FOX Deportes Combined highlights:

–Saturday’s telecasts combined to average 3.65 million viewers and peaked from 4:30-4:47 PM ET with 4.420 million.

Additional FOX highlights:

–The match rating is +18% over last year (1.1), and +16% in audience (1.9 million).

Exclusive Spanish-language telecasts of 72 matches on ESPN Deportes; Non-exclusiveEnglish-language rights include 68 matches through the group stage on ESPN3

ESPN has reached a multimedia rights sublicense agreement with FOX Sports Media Group to carry a select package of UEFA Champions League matches across ESPN media platforms starting this fall with the 2014-15 season, through the 2017-18 season.

The sublicense agreement grants ESPN Deportes exclusive Spanish-language rights to 72 matches including the playoff round, group stage and knockout phase. The Spanish-language sports network will carry the Champions League Final and the UEFA Super Cup for the 2015-16 and 2017-18 seasons, alternating with FOX Deportes who will continue to carry these events in the 2014-15 and 2016-17 seasons. To complement the television coverage, ESPN Deportes Radio, the only around-the-clock Spanish-language sports radio network, will continue broadcasting the entire tournament through the 2017-18 season. The matches will be available on ESPN Deportes Radio Network and via audio streaming.

Under the agreement, ESPN Deportes will continue to be the exclusive Spanish-language TV home of the UEFA Europa League in the U.S. through the 2017-18 season.

The deal includes non-exclusive rights to present live, English-language coverage of up to 68 matches on ESPN3 – eight matches from the playoff round and 60 from the group stage. In addition, ESPN also acquires replay rights to select matches for its digital and on-demand platforms, after FOX Sports has made its exclusive selections.

Live access to ESPN’s matches in English and Spanish will be available on WatchESPN via computers, smartphones, tablets and connected devices. ESPNFC.com and the ESPN FC app will also feature the live matches on WatchESPN.

“We are delighted to have the UEFA Champions League back on ESPN. This is a great opportunity to continue engaging avid soccer fans and inviting in new ones after the unprecedented success of the World Cup in Brazil,” said Scott Guglielmino, ESPN senior vice president of programming. “We are pleased to work with FOX Sports to deliver the world’s most prestigious club soccer tournament and we look forward to showcasing some of the sport’s best players and most important clubs.”

In addition to the matches, ESPNFC.com, the ESPN FC app and ESPNdeportes.com will deliver complete coverage of the tournament through video highlights, news and analysis. ESPN FC – the company’s multi-language, multi-country and multi-platform soccer property – offers fans comprehensive coverage of soccer across the world. The property’s digital hub, ESPNFC.com, is the number one soccer-specific site in the U.S. It also has a TV presence via ESPN FC, a daily global soccer news and information program on ESPNEWS.

ESPN and ESPN Deportes’ coverage of the UEFA Champions League kicks off August 19 and 20 with matches from the playoff round, followed by the group stage that begins in mid-September. The UEFA Champions League matches take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the season.

A total of 32 teams play in the Group Stage: 22 teams that enter in this stage plus the 10 winners of the playoff round (five in Champions Route, five in League Route). The 22 teams have already automatically entered the 2014/15 UEFA Champions League’s Group Stage with the remaining slots to be defined through qualifying which are played between June and August.

ESPN is committed to offering comprehensive multimedia coverage of the world’s premier soccer events. The UEFA Champions League adds to the solid portfolio of soccer events that ESPN offers: The company is the English- and Spanish-language home of the 2016 UEFA European Football Championship, including sharing the rights to the qualifiers with FOX Sports that start in 2014. ESPN’s multimedia platforms also provide extensive coverage of myriad top-tier international leagues and Major League Soccer in the U.S., as well as telecasts of the United States National Team and Mexican National Team matches, including international friendlies and more. ESPN Deportes also offers exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the Europa League and the Brazilian Paulista & Brasileiro soccer leagues in addition to select matches from Mexico’s Liga MX and Copa MX. ESPN Deportes also has rights to the 2014 Spanish Supercopa- Real Madrid vs. Atletico de Madrid.

UEFA Champions League and CONCACAF Champions League Action Kicks Off on August 19

Season Gives Way to FIFA Women’s World Cup in June

Los Angeles – With the buzz of the FIFA World Cup and summer friendlies still ringing in the ears of U.S. soccer fans, FOX Sports, home of next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, kicks off its coverage of the 2014-2015 soccer season in a big way next week. FOX Sports’ early season coverage is highlighted by two-dozen matches over eight days in late August from the UEFA Champions League, the world’s premier international club competition, and the CONCACAF Champions League, the region’s top club competition.

The UEFA Champions League takes center stage with the first leg of the playoff round as English powerhouse Arsenal face Turkish side Besiktas live from Emirates Stadium in London, Tuesday, August 19 (2:00 PM ET) on FOX Sports 1. Almost simultaneously on FOX Sports 2, Napoli of Italy takes on Spain’s Athletic Bilbao in the second of five matches on tap that day. Wednesday’s action sees another five matches, with Scotland champions Celtic FC, French squad Lille and Portugal’s Porto FC all taking the field. The second leg of the UEFA Champions League playoffs continue on the FOX Sports networks next Tuesday, August 26 and Wednesday, August 27, to determine which teams advance to the highly-anticipated group stage rounds.

Additionally, fans witness the return of the CONCACAF Champions League as four MLS teams begin group stage play. FOX Soccer Plus features a doubleheader on Tuesday, August 19 when the Portland Timbers and Alpha United of Guyana clash at 8:00 PM ET, followed by Nicaraguan club Real Esteli battling Sporting Kansas City at 10:00 PM ET. Wednesday’s sole match of Match Day 2 has DC United vs. Jamaica’s Waterhouse FC on FOX Sports 2 at 8:00 PM ET. Match Day 3 commences on Tuesday, August 26 (8:00 PM ET) as the New York Red Bulls face Salvadoran side Club Deportivo on FOX Sports 2. Match Day 4 kicks off in September and the final Match Day 6 wraps in October. See below for the complete schedule.

Rob Stone hosts pregame, halftime and post-game UEFA Champions League coverage from Los Angeles with analysts Eric Wynalda, Warren Barton and Brian McBride. JP Dellacamera teams up with Brian Dunseth and Cobi Jones, and John Strong joins the rotation with Janusz Michallik to call select CONCACAF Champions League games. All matches are available for live and on-demand streaming on FOX Soccer 2Go; FOX Sports GO, the app that provides live video of FOX Sports content at home or on the go, live streams all games on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2.

Los Angeles – European soccer takes center stage at FOX Sports over the next fortnight with two of the biggest contests of the season, as the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League hold their highly anticipated finals. Both matches air live on FOX with renowned play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson and U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer Eric Wynalda calling the action.

In the FA Cup final, Barclays Premier League sides Arsenal and Hull City face off to determine the champion of the world’s oldest soccer competition and England’s main domestic cup tournament. Arsenal, with 10 FA Cup titles to its name, reaches the final after beating last year’s champion Wigan Athletic on penalty kicks, while Hull City makes its first-ever FA Cup Final appearance in the team’s 110-year history. The two clubs clash in true David and Goliath fashion at the legendary Wembley Stadium in London, live Saturday, May 17 on FOX, marking just the second time ever the final airs on U.S. broadcast television. Coverage begins at 11:30 AM ET, with Johnson and Wynalda taking over for the 12:00 PM ET kickoff.

The following Saturday, all eyes of the soccer world are on one game as the UEFA Champions League, the world’s most-watched elite club soccer competition, crowns its champion. Spanish powerhouses and crosstown rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid square off in the final at Lisbon’s Stadium of Light for the world’s most coveted club prize, live on Saturday, May 24 on FOX at 2:00 PM ET. Completing two stunning semifinal victories, both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid are riding significant momentum into Lisbon after knocking out last year’s champion Bayern Munich and English giant Chelsea, respectively. Coverage begins with the UEFA Champions League Preview Show on FOX Sports 1 at 1:00 PM ET, which relives the journey of the two remaining teams in the tournament, leading up to the grand all-Spanish finale. Johnson and Wynalda partner again from Lisbon, along with sideline reporter Georgie Thompson.

Rob Stone hosts pregame, halftime and postgame coverage of the FA Cup Final and the UEFA Champions League Final from the FOX Network Center in Los Angeles with analysts Warren Barton and Brian McBride. FOX Sports’ FA Cup Final coverage also welcomes guest analysts Stuart Holden and Vinnie Jones. Holden is a current midfielder for England’s Bolton Wanderers as well as the U.S. Men’s National Team, while Jones is a British actor and FA Cup legend, having won the tournament in 1988 as Wimbledon bested Liverpool in what was one of the largest upsets in FA Cup history. Former FIFA and CONCACAF Match Commissioner Dr. Joe Machnik pitches in to break down the teams and dissect controversial calls. Joining Stone, Barton and McBride for UEFA Champions League Final studio coverage is Tottenham’s star goalkeeper, American Brad Friedel.

The FOX Sports GO app live streams both finals to authenticated online, mobile and tablet devices. Fans can also follow minute-by-minute commentary via the @FOXSoccer and @FOXSoccerTrax Twitter accounts, using #FACuponFOX and #UCLonFOX.

The 2014 UEFA Champions League Final also airs live on FOX Deportes on Saturday, May 24 with coverage beginning at 2:00 PM ET. The network’s on-site commentary team includes John Laguna alongside analysts Mariano Trujillo and Daniel Brailovsky.

Los Angeles — The 2014 UEFA Champions League finalists were decided this week, and the games that sent Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid on in the tournament broke UEFA Champions League viewership records for FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes.

Atletico Madrid’s 3-1 elimination of English giants Chelsea on Wednesday (4/30) attracted 627,000 viewers, setting a new viewership record for FOX Sports 1. It ties the 2012 second leg semifinal between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid on FX as the largest audience for a UEFA Champions League match on English language cable television since the 2009 UEFA Champions Final featuring Barcelona and Manchester United on ESPN (1.4 million viewers).

Tuesday’s 4-0 thrashing of last year’s champions Bayern Munich, courtesy of Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid, called by Gus Johnson and Eric Wynalda, scored 557,000 viewers, and is now the second most-watched UEFA Champions League match televised by FOX Sports 1.

FOX Deportes’ coverage of the Bayern Munich-Real Madrid second leg semifinal on Tuesday (4/29) was the Spanish language channel’s most-watched telecast for the year with 680,000 viewers. The match also delivered the highest-rated UEFA Champions League semifinal since the network began airing the prestigious club tournament in 2009, topping the Real Madrid vs. Barcelona face-off in 2011 (640,000).

The 2014 UEFA Champions League Final is broadcast live on FOX and FOX Deportes, Saturday, May 24 with coverage beginning at 2:00 PM ET. Play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson and analyst Eric Wynalda call the all-Spanish affair between crosstown rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid live from the Stadium of Light in Lisbon, Portugal. FOX Deportes’ on-site commentary team includes John Laguna alongside analysts Mariano Trujillo and Daniel Brailovsky.

Over Half A Million Viewers Witness Real Madrid Down Bayern Munich 1-0

The UEFA Champions League semifinals kicked off on FOX Sports 1 this week, leading to a viewership record on Tuesday (4/22) that was quickly topped on Wednesday (4/23).

Wednesday’s first leg match featuring Spanish heavyweights Real Madrid and defending European champions Bayern Munich, called by Gus Johnson and Eric Wynalda in Madrid, attracted 511,000 viewers, setting a new record for a UEFA Champions League match on FOX Sports 1, according to Nielsen. It is the biggest audience for a UEFA Champions League semifinal on any FOX channel in two years (Bayern Munich/Real Madrid, 2012 second leg – 627,000 on FX). Tuesday’s 0-0 draw between Barclays Premier League team Chelsea and Atletico Madrid scored 450,000 viewers, which stood as a record for a day and is now the second most-watched UEFA Champions League match televised by FOX Sports 1.

This week’s UEFA Champions League Round of 16 matches set impressive new audience records for FOX Sports 1. Barcelona’s 2-1 victory over Manchester City on Wednesday, which sent the Spanish side to the quarterfinals of the tournament, scored 420,000 viewers, making it the most-watched soccer match in FOX Sports 1 history.

Tuesday’s matchup featuring defending champions Bayern Munich and Barclays Premier League team Arsenal also delivered high numbers. The 363,000 viewers were enough to secure the third most-watched UEFA Champions League match to date on the network, behind Barcelona-Manchester City’s 395,000 on February 18. That 363,000 is also 56% above the average of the four prior Round of 16 matches on FOX Sports 1.

Preceding the two matches on FOX Sports 1, the UEFA Champions League Pregame Show with host Will Selva and analysts Eric Wynalda, Warren Barton and Brian McBride drew 118,000 viewers on Tuesday and Wednesday, tied for the highest-watched UEFA Champions League pregame show of all-time on FOX Sports 1.

FOX Sports 1’s NASCAR RACEDAY (11:30 AM ET) kicks off Sunday’s coverage, immediately followed by network pre-race coverage on FOX NASCAR SUNDAY (12:30 PM ET). FOX Deportes telecasts the race on Monday, March 17 (3:00 AM ET), while FOX Sports GO, the app that provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content, offers live streaming of the race, as well as all practice and qualifying sessions telecast on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. Customers of participating video providers may access the live streams of the race through the FOX Sports GO app for iOS devices, as well as on desktops through FOXSportsGO.com.

FOX Sports 1 features live coverage of NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES and NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES practice and qualifying sessions from Bristol on Friday, while FOX Sports 2 picks up NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES FINAL PRACTICE on Saturday. Sunday’s NASCAR VICTORY LANE (6:30-7:00 PM ET) on FOX Sports 1 features complete post-race interviews and analysis of the day’s pivotal moments.

LARRY MCREYNOLDS ON WHETHER SAFETY CONCERNS PRECIPITATED NASCAR MAKING MODIFICATIONS TO QUALIFYING PROCEDURES THIS WEEK: “Safety probably was the main issue, but I think competition also played a role. Bristol is a half-mile track and we’d have 45 or 46 drivers on the first qualifying run with some trying to cool their cars down by running slowly. Martinsville, though, would have been an even bigger issue. Bristol at least has an apron, but Martinsville doesn’t. The only way to run around and cool the car down at Martinsville is by running the groove. We saw some really close calls in Las Vegas with cars running 180 or 190 miles-per-hour and some running 45 or 50 miles-per-hour to cool down their cars. An alternative of simply taking tape off the grille sounds simple, but the three different manufacturer makes have three different grille openings, which could pose a bit of an advantage depending on the manufacturer. So, I could understand why that probably wasn’t even a consideration in NASCAR’s mind. It sounded simple, but it wasn’t the right fix because the openings are different. You couldn’t let one manufacturer be at a disadvantage because of a grille opening.”

DARRELL WALTRIP ON PAUL WOLFE AND HIS PAIRING WITH BRAD KESELOWSKI: “I like a gambling man. When it comes to sitting on that pit box, I don’t want a guy who says ‘We’ll do what everybody else does.’ If you think back to the first race he and Brad (Keselowski) won together, it was at Kansas. And how did they win it? He was running gas mileage, kicking it out of gear and coasting off into the corner. So, Paul (Wolfe) and Brad (Keselowski) – that’s the Chad (Knaus) and Jimmie (Johnson) on the horizon.”

LARRY MCREYNOLDS ON THE BEST TEAM SO FAR IN 2014: “When I look at the first three races, Hendrick Motorsports looks like they have their arms around it. They placed all four drivers in the top nine at Las Vegas. But Penske Racing has two drivers, three races, six attempts, two poles, four front row starts and five out of six top-five finishes. In the early going of the season, Penske Racing looks like they have their arms around 2014.”

DARRELL WALTRIP ON THE FAVORITE TO WIN AT BRISTOL: “Bristol is one of those tracks that because of the concrete, it doesn’t change setup-wise. It doesn’t matter as much what they do to the cars but more about who likes Bristol and is good there. Both Busches love it. It could be a Kyle (Busch) weekend. It’s a good Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick track. I don’t see any surprises. The guys who were pretty good at Phoenix probably will be good at Bristol. If I had to pick a favorite, I’d say Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch. They could run very well. And the way Brad Keselowski has run the first three races, he easily could be in the mix.”

· Features: Trotta’s “Crunching the Numbers” examines who has the best chance of visiting Victory Lane at Bristol; Darrell Waltrip interviews Joey Logano; and a top-five countdown of the most emotional outbursts ever at Bristol on Thursday, March 13.

· This Week: FOX Sports 1 has live coverage from the opening three hours of the 62nd annual MOBIL 1 TWELVE HOURS OF SEBRING on Saturday, March 15 (10:00 AM ET); continuing to its conclusion on the FOX Sports Go mobile app starting at 1:00 PM ET. Then on Sunday, March 16 (8:30 AM ET), FOX Sports 1 delivers a full three-hour, race highlight show from Sebring International Raceway; round two of the newly consolidated TUDOR United SportsCar Championship featuring four classes of competition led by the high-powered Prototypes and popular GT Le Mans categories.

· This Week: The second annual FOX SPORTS SALUTES THE TROOPS SPECIAL is a 30-minute special that follows current and former Major League Baseball players, FOX Sports Broadcasters and the FOX Sports Girls as they embark on a goodwill visit to North Carolina’s Army Installation Fort Bragg. Trip attendees train with the soldiers, including morning physical training and a 34-foot tower jump, while the MLB participants conduct a youth baseball clinic, visit schools and join soldiers in a competitive game of Wiffle ball.

MEN’S COLLEGE BASEBALL: TEXAS TECH VISIT BAYLOR

· Network/When: FOX Sports 1, Saturday, March 15 (1:00 PM ET)

· This Week: The Texas Tech Raiders take their 15-3 overall record to Waco, TX for a battle with the Baylor Bears.

THE OFFSEASON SERIES PREMIERE FEATURES MLB’S BIGGEST STARS

· Network: FOX Sports 1, Tuesday, March 18 (10:00 PM ET)

· What/When: In an exclusive joint effort from MLB productions and FOX Sports Originals, THE OFFSEASON is a six-part series that profiles Red Sox outfielder and World Series champion Shane Victorino, Pirates outfielder and National League MVP Andrew McCutchen, Marlins pitcher and National League Rookie of the Year Jose Fernandez, and All-Star slugger and new Rangers first baseman Prince Fielder, as they prepare for the upcoming season.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

CHAMPIONS RISE ON FOX SPORTS 1 THIS WEEK – Two conference tournament champions will be crowned on FOX Sports 1 this week, as FOX Sports 1 presents full coverage of the BIG EAST Tournament as well as three games, including the championship, from the Pac-12 Tournament.

The BIG EAST Tournament tips off Wednesday night live from Madison Square Garden, with coverage beginning at 6:30 PM ET. Gus Johnson, Bill Raftery and Erin Andrews call the tournament’s seven prime-time contests, while Justin Kutcher and Tarik Turner have Thursday’s afternoon games. Turner joins Austin Croshere and host Rob Stone for the FOX COLLEGE HOOPS TIP-OFF pregame show, which is live from “The World’s Most Famous Arena” all week long.

Aaron Goldsmith, Sean Elliott and Molly McGrath are live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas for three Pac-12 Tournament games, including the championship on Saturday night.

· This Week: Throughout its tournament coverage, FOX COLLEGE HOOPS TIP-OFF presents exclusive behind-the-scenes access to one of the top teams in the country. CREIGHTON ALL-ACCESS is a series of backstage features chronicling the Bluejays’ journey during their first BIG EAST Tournament, with one feature running each night of the tournament. Additional stories airing during the week include PLAYING IN THE GARDEN, voiced by Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Andre Braugher, and a conversation between legendary Georgetown head coach John Thompson and his son, FOX Sports 1 college basketball analyst Ronny Thompson. Villanova head coach Jay Wright joins live on set on Wednesday, March 12.

This week’s full college basketball schedule, including broadcaster information, can be found below.

Wed., March 12

6:30 PM

FOX COLLEGE HOOPS TIP-OFF

Rob Stone

Austin Croshere

Tarik Turner

Wed., March 12

7:00 PM

BIG EAST Tournament Game 1:

No. 8 Seton Hall vs. No. 9 Butler

Gus Johnson

Bill Raftery

Erin Andrews

Wed., March 12

9:00 PM

FOX COLLEGE HOOPS EXTRA

Rob Stone

Austin Croshere

Tarik Turner

Wed., March 12

9:30 PM

BIG EAST Tournament Game 2:

No. 7 Georgetown vs. No. 10 DePaul

Gus Johnson

Bill Raftery

Erin Andrews

Thurs., March 13

12:00 PM

BIG EAST Tournament Game 3:

No. 1 Villanova vs. Game 1 Winner

Justin Kutcher

Tarik Turner

Thurs., March 13

2:00 PM

FOX COLLEGE HOOPS EXTRA

Rob Stone

Austin Croshere

Thurs., March 13

2:30 PM

BIG EAST Tournament Game 4:

No. 4 Providence vs. No. 5 St. John’s

Justin Kutcher

Tarik Turner

Thurs., March 13

6:30 PM

FOX COLLEGE HOOPS TIP-OFF

Rob Stone

Austin Croshere

Tarik Turner

Thurs., March 13

7:00 PM

BIG EAST Tournament Game 5:

No. 2 Creighton vs. Game 2 Winner

Gus Johnson

Bill Raftery

Erin Andrews

Thurs., March 13

9:00 PM

FOX COLLEGE HOOPS EXTRA

Rob Stone

Austin Croshere

Tarik Turner

Thurs., March 13

9:30 PM

BIG EAST Tournament Game 6:

No. 3 Xavier vs. No. 6 Marquette

Gus Johnson

Bill Raftery

Erin Andrews

Thurs., March 13

11:30 PM

PAC-12 Tournament Game 8

Aaron Goldsmith

Sean Elliott

Molly McGrath

Fri., March 14

6:30 PM

FOX COLLEGE HOOPS TIP-OFF

Rob Stone

Austin Croshere

Tarik Turner

Fri., March 14

7:00 PM

BIG EAST Tournament Semifinal 1

Gus Johnson

Bill Raftery

Erin Andrews

Fri., March 14

9:00 PM

FOX COLLEGE HOOPS EXTRA

Rob Stone

Austin Croshere

Tarik Turner

Fri., March 14

9:30 PM

BIG EAST Tournament Semifinal 2

Gus Johnson

Bill Raftery

Erin Andrews

Fri., March 14

11:30 PM

PAC-12 Tournament Semifinal 2

Aaron Goldsmith

Sean Elliott

Molly McGrath

Sat., March 15

5:00 PM

FOX COLLEGE HOOPS TIP-OFF

Rob Stone

Austin Croshere

Tarik Turner

Sat., March 15

6:00 PM

PAC-12 Tournament Final

Aaron Goldsmith

Sean Elliott

Molly McGrath

Sat., March 15

8:00 PM

FOX COLLEGE HOOPS EXTRA

Rob Stone

Austin Croshere

Tarik Turner

Sat., March 15

8:30 PM

BIG EAST Tournament Final

Gus Johnson

Bill Raftery

Erin Andrews

BIG EAST TOURNEY TIPS OFF AT NYC’S GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL – Eighteen BIG EAST legends gathered in the heart of New York City on Tuesday to celebrate the start of the 2014 BIG EAST Tournament by playing a pickup game on a court inside Grand Central Terminal. FOX Sports 1’s BIG EAST TOURNEY TIP-OFF also featured fan giveaways and a free-throw contest and was hosted by FOX Sports studio host Rob Stone and college basketball analyst Tarik Turner, a former standout at St. John’s. Pictures of the event are attached.

UFC

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER NATIONS – DÉJÀ VU RECAP EPISODE

Network/When: FOX Sports 2, Wednesday, Mar. 12 (10:00 PM ET)

Talent: Patrick Côté, Kyle Noke

This Week: In this special edition, we revisit action from the Octagon and drama from the house in a look back on the first eight episodes. With insights from head coaches Côté and Noke, we learn fight strategies, witness dramatic in-fight action, and see never-before broadcast scenes.

This Week: The UFC ON FOX studio crew recaps UFC 171 and analyzes the women’s bantamweight title fight between champion Ronda Rousey and challenger Sara McMann. The one-hour review also features exclusive interviews with the winners, plus UFC President Dana White.

BEST OF THE WEC PREMIERE FEATURES CLASSIC MMA BOUTS

Network/When: FOX Sports 1, Wednesday, Mar. 19 (8:00 PM ET)

Talent: Kenda Perez

This Week: Peer into the WEC vault to watch some of the greatest mixed martial artist (MMA) battles of all time. Many of today’s biggest UFC stars like Urijah Faber, Jose Aldo, Carlos Condit, Brian Stann, Demetrious Johnson and Dominick Cruz first rose to prominence in the WEC Octagon, and you can see all of their classic battles in this new six-part series.

BOXING

GOLDEN BOY BOXING HITS BOSTON FOR SPECIAL ST. PATRICK’S DAY FIGHTS

Network/When: FOX Sports 1, Monday, Mar. 17 (8:30 PM ET)

Talent: Paulie Malignaggi and Beto Duran

This Week: Undefeated rising middleweight Julian Williams (14-0-1, 8 KO’s) faces former IBA Middleweight World Champion Freddy Hernandez (30-6, 20 KO’s) in the MONDAY NIGHT FIGHTS: GOLDEN BOY LIVE! main event. “I can’t think of a better atmosphere for a night of fights than being in Boston on St. Patrick’s Day,” says Paulie Malignaggi. “The crowd’s going to be great and they’re going to get a great main event with Julian Williams vs. Freddy Hernandez. Julian is one of the top prospects and he’s about to enter the top ten rankings. But Freddy Hernandez has fought the best, and he’s got the skills and experience to surprise Williams if he’s on top of his game.” Also, young Irish star Jamie “The Nuisance” Kavanagh (15-1-1, 7 KO’s) faces Puerto Rico’s Andres Navarro (9-4-1, 6 KO’s) in an eight-round lightweight opening bout. Undefeated heavyweight Alexis Santos (12-0, 10 KOs) battles Seattle’s Sylvester Barron (8-3, 3 KO’s) in the six-round co-main event and Irish Olympian John Joe Nevin (9-2) makes his U.S. debut against San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Alberto Candelaria (3-0-1, 2 KO’s) in a six-round bantamweight televised attraction.

SOCCER

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE KNOCKOUT ROUNDS RESUME: Europe’s top teams battle it out once more as the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 wraps up with the return legs. Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Paris St. Germain punched their tickets to the quarterfinals this week, while next week sees English sides Chelsea and Manchester United in action against Galatasaray and Olympiacos, respectively.

· This Week: According to Sheheen, Villopoto is en route to being one of the greatest of all time. “Without question Ryan is a first ballot Hall-of-Famer. His numbers already are impressive and he isn’t done yet. If he wins his fourth consecutive title this year, that puts him right with Jeremy McGrath as the only riders to win four championships in a row. Now, with four Daytona Supercross by Honda wins, he ties Jeff Stanton for second on the all-time win list, and is one behind all-time Daytona Supercross winner Ricky Carmichael, who has five.” Rolling into Detroit this weekend, Sheheen expects the track to add a little excitement to the FOX Sports 1 program: “Detroit has had a long history with supercross, dating back to a very successful run of dates at the old Pontiac Superdome. For the return of the series to the Motor City, the track builders are taking the track right up into the grandstands, which should be very exciting for both the racers and the fans.”

· This Week: The 2014 Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour, featuring the world’s top freestyle motocross riders, revs up for another epic and spectacular season with its first stop in Mexico City. France’s Thomas Pagès is looking to defend his 2013 title in front of 42,000 spectators in the high-altitude of the Mexican capital. “With three different champions in the past three years, 2014 is set to be an epic year!” says FOX Sports 1 host Andy Bell. Dany Torres (ESP), Levi Sherwood (NZL), Rob Adelberg (AUS), Javier Villegas (CHI), Josh Sheehan (AUS), Adam Jones (USA) and the rest of the roster are expected to give Pagès a run for his money during the five-leg tour. Follow the link for a quick preview of the season: http://www.redbullxfighters.com/en_US/video/season-starts-soon

Los Angeles – FOX Sports today announced that it has renewed its exclusive media rights in the United States and Caribbean to the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, two of the world’s most prestigious soccer competitions, for three additional seasons from 2015/16 through 2017/18. FOX Sports has been the English and Spanish language rights holder in the U.S. and Caribbean for the Champions League since the 2009/10 season and Europa League since 2012/13.

The agreement with UEFA – the governing body of soccer in Europe – ensures comprehensive coverage of both tournaments on multiple channels and platforms including FOX Sports, FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2, FOX Deportes, FOX Sports Regional Networks and FOX Soccer Plus, as well as online via FOXSports.com and on mobile devices through the FOX Sports GO app. FOX Sports is currently in the second of a three-season partnership with UEFA for both competitions that extends through 2014/15, delivering for the first time ever all 146 UEFA Champions League matches from the Play-Off Round onward to U.S. viewers.

“We are elated to continue our partnership with UEFA and serve as home of its flagship properties through at least 2018,” said David Nathanson, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. “The combination of UEFA Champions and Europa leagues provides viewers with the complete club competition experience at the highest level. The fact that all the leading European teams and players continue to be seen on one destination speaks to FOX Sports’ commitment to showcase the world’s best. No other sports television franchise has an elite international soccer schedule that even comes close.”

In total, FOX Sports plans to carry 146 UEFA Champions League games annually throughout the term of the agreement on FOX; FOX Sports 1, America’s new national sports network; FOX Sports 2; FOX Soccer Plus; and FOX Sports Regional Networks on a live and delayed basis. FOX Sports also provides a robust offering on its authenticated/premium broadband platforms FOX Sports GO and FOXSoccer2GO including all matches carried live and on-demand. Digital highlight clips also continue to be exclusive to FOXSports.com and FOXSoccer.com. FOX Deportes, the nation’s leading Spanish-language sports brand, carries 122 matches live and on-delay, featuring 10 matches weekly.

FOX Sports continues its commitment to televising the UEFA Champions League Final live to over 114 million broadcast television households nationwide on FOX, its U.S. home since 2010. The most-watched soccer match ever on FOX is the 2011 Champions League Final between Barcelona and Manchester United (2.6 million), which is also the most-watched UEFA match ever in the U.S.

UEFA Europa League is an annual competition that has been organized by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European clubs, and has committed to carry 205 matches across multiple FOX networks. The title has been won by 27 different clubs, 12 of which have won multiple titles. Juventus, Inter Milan and Liverpool have been the most successful with three titles apiece. Chelsea of England is the current champion after beating Portuguese side Benfica in the 2013 final.

FOX Sports 1 is slated to carry two live UEFA Europa League matches per week, while FOX Sports 2 televises two live matches and encores of the FOX Sports 1 matches. FOX Soccer Plus also offers two live matches weekly, along with encores of the matches airing on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. All matches air live on the FOX Sports GO mobile app. The match last May between Benfica and Chelsea is the most-watched UEFA Europa League contest in the U.S. on cable.

-FOX SPORTS-

]]>http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/network-press-releases/fox-sports-renews-exclusive-rights-to-uefa-champions-league-uefa-europa-league-through-2017-2018-season/feed/0stevebaronFOX-Sports-Logo-May-2012Epic UEFA Champions League Final on FOX is Second Most-Watched Everhttp://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/network-press-releases/epic-uefa-champions-league-final-on-fox-is-second-most-watched-ever/
http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/network-press-releases/epic-uefa-champions-league-final-on-fox-is-second-most-watched-ever/#respondThu, 24 May 2012 20:18:49 +0000http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/05/24/epic-uefa-champions-league-final-on-fox-is-second-most-watched-ever/135730/]]>

via press release:

EPIC UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL ON FOX

IS SECOND MOST-WATCHED EVER

US Audience Up +676% Since 2002

New York – Chelsea had been out-played for most of the match, but only trailed Bayern Munich 1-0 in the 2012 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL until lightning struck in the 88th minute and Didier Drogba tied the score with a header off a corner kick. Thirty minutes of scoreless, dramatic extra-time ensued forcing the most prestigious title in European club soccer to be settled by penalty kicks. Again, it was Drogba who connected on the game’s final shot giving Chelsea the 4-3 victory and the European crown.

Broadcast in the United States by FOX Sports for the third consecutive year, the UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL between Bayern Munich and Chelsea on Saturday (5/19) averaged a 1.1/3 household rating/share with an average audience of 2 million, according to figures released today by Nielsen Media Research making it the second most-watched ever. The three UCL Finals broadcast on FOX have averaged 2,049,000 viewers marking a 676% audience increase over the last decade (2002 UCL Final on ESPN2 delivered 264,000 viewers).

The 2012 UCL Final was +10% in rating (1.1 vs. 1.0) and +25% in audience (2 million vs. 1.6 million) compared to the 2010 game, which also featured Bayern Munich (vs. Inter-Milan). Last year’s match, buoyed by Barcelona and Manchester United, two of the world’s most popular soccer clubs, posted a 1.4/4, with 2.6 million viewers and is the most-watched UCL Final ever in the US.

Additional highlights:

– Viewing peaked during extra time and ensuing penalty kicks. The 5:00-5:30 half-hour posted 2.4 million viewers and the last three minutes of the broadcast delivered 2.5 million viewers.

– The average viewership of the UCL semi-finals on FOX Soccer and FX and the UCL Final on FOX was up +19% over 2011 (806,000 vs. 679,000).

– The UCL Final was the #6 program on all of television from 2:30-5:30 PM ET on Saturday and delivered more viewers than several other sports events televised last weekend.

– Proving popular with young men, the game posted a 1.6 rating on Men 18-34, ranking #2 in the 2:30-5:30 PM ET time period, and #3 event of the day.

Los Angeles – Only two teams and one game remain in the 2012 UEFA Champions League, the world’s most-watched elite club soccer tournament. On the grandest stage of European soccer, German club Bayern Munich and England’s Chelsea FC face off inside UEFA Fußball Arena Munchen on Saturday, May 19 in Munich, Germany. Bayern has the advantage of being the first team to play a UEFA Champions League Final in its home stadium, while Chelsea is on a quest to capture its first European Cup. For the third consecutive year, FOX Sports is broadcasting this showcase event live, with coverage beginning at 2:00 PM ET.

Live from Munich, FOX Sports’ Curt Menefee serves as event host, with FOX Soccer’s Rob Stone hosting on-site studio coverage. FOX Soccer analyst and American National Soccer Hall of Famer Eric Wynalda joins Tottenham goalkeeper and former United States National Team player Brad Friedel for pre-game, halftime and post-match analysis. Legendary Sky Sports play-by-play announcer Martin Tyler calls the match with analysis from former Manchester United defender Gary Neville.

After a week of lead-up programming, FOX Deportes, the nation’s leading Spanish-language sports cable network, begins its coverage on May 19 at 1 PM ET with UCL Final Preview, live from Munich. Match coverage begins at 2:30 PM ET, followed by the post-match celebration at 5:00 PM ET on Lo Mejor de la UCL. At 5:30 PM ET, FOX Deportes airs La Ultima Palabra, a special one-hour postgame show live followed later on by an encore match presentation at 10:30 PM ET. Manning FOX Deportes’ Los Angeles studio are Mauricio Cardenas and Bruno Vain. John Laguna, Christian Bozzo and Daniel Brailovsky are on-site in Munich with reporters Nelson Vignolles and Alejandro Blanco.

U.S. viewership of the UEFA Champions League Final has exploded in recent years. 2011 was the seventh straight year that English-language viewing increased in the U.S. Over the last 10 years, the audience has increased almost 10-fold, from 264,000 viewers on ESPN in 2002 to 2.6 million on FOX in 2011.

The 2011 Champions League Final is the highest-rated and most watched in U.S. history. FSMG’s coverage on FOX (1.4 HH rating, 2.6 million viewers) and FOX Deportes (0.7 HH rating, 1.6 million viewers) combined to generate a 2.1 household rating and 6 share, drawing an audience of 4.2 million viewers nationally, dwarfing the ratings and audience of 2010 by +75% (1.2) and +91% (2.2 million), respectively. Significantly, the 2011 match on FOX and FOX Deportes also bettered the 2009 match, which featured the same Barcelona and Manchester United clubs, by +62% on rating (2.1 vs. 1.3) and +24% on viewership (4.2 million vs. 2.1 million).

Completing one of the most stunning comebacks in UEFA Champions League history, Chelsea is riding significant momentum into Munich after knocking out reigning champion FC Barcelona. After falling behind 2-0 on the road in its second-leg clash with the Catalans, Chelsea stormed back to secure a 2-2 draw, allowing the Blues to advance to the Final 3-2 on aggregate. Remarkably, Chelsea pulled off this feat down a man, after captain John Terry was red carded in the first half. In order to hoist the famed Champions League trophy, Chelsea will have to defeat Bayern without Terry and suspended teammates Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles. This is Chelsea’s first Final since 2008, when the Blues lost to Manchester United.

Bayern Munich returns home to Bavaria and has the support of is home fans in the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final. The club already has four European Cups/Champions League titles to its name, having last won the competition in 2001. Managed by Jupp Heynckes, Bayern advances to the tournament’s final stage after defeating Real Madrid on penalties in the second-leg of the semifinals. Bolstered by wingers Arjen Robben and Frank Ribery, the German side has one of the most potent attacks in Europe. Bayern forward Mario Gomez is the second leading scorer in this year’s Champions League (12).

New York — All the ingredients were there: two storied franchises going head-to-head in the penultimate round of the world’s most prestigious annual soccer tournament, playing a tense 1-0 match won by the home team in a memory-filled stadium packed with crazed faithful. So it was on Wednesday, April 18 when England’s Chelsea FC hosted Spain’s FC Barcelona at London’s Stamford Bridge, and over 1.1 million US soccer fans eagerly tuned-in to watch.

FX, FOX Network Group’s popular and fully distributed basic cable network, carried the action that day and attracted an audience of 592,000 viewers according to Nielsen Media Research, a network-record for soccer, and the most watched English-language soccer match on US television since FOX Sports’ Barclay’s Premier League broadcast between Chelsea and Manchester United on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012 (1.377 million). Given available data, it is also believed to be the most-watched UEFA Champions League non-final match ever.

FX’s audience for the April 18 UEFA Champions League semifinal (592,000) was +21% compared to last year’s first semifinal (Real Madrid CF vs. FC Barcelona, 489,000). The first semifinal match on Tuesday, April 17, a 2-1 Bayern Munich win over Real Madrid on FOX Soccer scored 308,000 viewers, up +20% from the network’s first semifinal (FC Schalke 04 vs. Manchester United FC).

The return legs take place in Spain this week, with FC Barcelona hosting Chelsea FC on Tuesday, April 24 (FOX Soccer/2:00 PM ET) and Bayern Munich traveling to Real Madrid’s famed Estadio Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday, April 25 (FX/2:00 PM ET). FOX Soccer’s Rob Stone, Eric Wynalda, Warren Barton and guest analyst Brian McBride preview and break down all of the semifinal action on UEFA Champions League Pregame, presented by Geico live at 2:00 PM ET each match day from FOX Soccer’s state-of-the-art studio at the FOX Network Center in Los Angeles.

These four historic clubs are playing for a spot in the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final, the game’s marquee club showcase, live from Munich on Saturday, May 19 at 2:00 PM ET on FOX (pregame coverage begins at 1:00 PM ET on FOX Soccer).